A federal judge sentenced a former Arkansas judge Wednesday to five years in prison — a stiffer punishment than prosecutors recommended — after he admitted giving young male defendants lighter sentences in return for personal benefits that included sexual favours.

In a 60 Minutes online exclusive, reporter Liz Hayes quizzed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his relationship with the unpredictable Twitter aficionado and US president Donald Trump ahead of their meeting at the White House Friday.

Analysis affirms MH370 search area

New research has confirmed authorities are likely searching the right area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss on Thursday said that fresh analysis had pinpointed a spot at the southern end of the original 120,000sq km search zone as the plane's "most prospective" resting place.

"There's around 44,000 square kilometres yet to be searched in this new priority area, and we're optimistic and hopeful that that search will result in us locating the aircraft," he told reporters in Canberra.

The Boeing 777 had 239 people on board when it disappeared on March 8, 2014, en-route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.

The analysis was conducted by the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group in a bid to validate the plane's likely flight path, based on available data.

The search in the Indian Ocean has been ongoing since last year, involving at least 20 countries and at a cost of around $180 million.

Australia has so far contributed about $60 million, with Malaysia promising to pick up the balance.

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Mr Truss is confident authorities will finish combing the area by June next year.

"We've made no commitments beyond that," he said.

Two vessels had been working in the region over the winter months, joined by a third earlier this week.

A fourth vessel provided by China will add to the search effort in coming months.

As well as covering areas not yet searched, authorities will also go back and check sections of uncertainty - about four per cent of the area already trawled.

"This stage of the search is absolutely critical," Mr Truss said.

"We're increasingly confident that the area of the search is the most prospective and we therefore will be putting in the maximum effort in to making sure the best equipment is in the right places, so we can conclude this search as quickly we can."